


A Beautiful Thing

by sixbeforelunch



Category: Star Trek: The Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Ficlet, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:26:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26622880
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sixbeforelunch/pseuds/sixbeforelunch
Summary: Scotty, entranced.
Relationships: Montgomery "Scotty" Scott/Nyota Uhura
Comments: 6
Kudos: 24
Collections: Fandom Giftbox 2020





	A Beautiful Thing

**Author's Note:**

  * For [kingstoken](https://archiveofourown.org/users/kingstoken/gifts).



> Set between The Final Frontier and The Undiscovered Country.

"Now that...that is a beautiful thing."

Kirk followed Scotty's gaze up to the alien engine. "Very nice," he agreed.

"Nice! 'Nice,' he says, and I'm lookin' at one of the best designed engines I've ever seen. The harmonics, Captain..."

Kirk nodded and looked around carefully before taking a step back from Scotty. The Hai'fab were a little less than a meter tall on the average, and it did not do to step on one's hosts, especially when they had been nothing but gracious so far, despite the inconvenient proportions of the Federation delegation. Kirk spied Spock and the Federation diplomat leading the talks in conversation with the Hai'fab captain, the latter having climbed up onto a ledge so that they could speak eye-to-eye. Or eye-to-stalk, as the case was. Sulu was chatting amiably with a few Hai'fab crew members, and McCoy of all people was entertaining the First Princess. Kirk fervently hoped he didn't say anything untoward. Probably he wouldn't. McCoy was capable of holding his tongue when it really mattered, for all that it was hard to believe sometimes.

Scotty was still going on about the engine. The Hai'fab placed a high value on engineering and design. A people after Scotty's own heart, Kirk thought, and he wondered if he was going to have trouble dragging Scotty away from their machines when the mission was over.

Kirk whistled softly when he saw Uhura enter, in conversation with the Hai'fab linguist who had been working with her on the translation program. The dress code for the event was 'dress uniform or culturally equivalent formal wear', and Uhura had chosen the or. She was dressed in a full-length, backless gown of dark green.

"You're a fortunate man, Mr. Scott," Kirk said.

"Captain?" He finally looked away from the engine and caught sight of Uhura, crossing the room. He stared.

From the smile on her face, it was clear she knew exactly the effect she was having. She glided to a stop in front of them.

"Lieutenant," Kirk said. "You look very nice." He couldn't help leaning forward and dropping a kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you, Captain," she said, giving him a brief kiss in return, although her eyes were for Scotty. She gave a little twirl. "Well?"

Scotty blinked a bit and finally came back to himself. "Aye, you were right. It's a very nice dress indeed, although I still think that trader overcharged you." He gave an exagerated bow over her hand and Uhura laughed and kissed him. A chaste kiss, but much less platonic than the one she had bestowed on Kirk. Kirk smiled. He'd stopped pretending ignorance about their relationship a while back. As long as they kept it professional on the bridge--and they did--they could get up to whatever they liked on their off hours. Besides, it was nice. It wasn't exactly young love. They were all much too old for that. But there was something about the way Uhura laughed and Scotty's eyes got bright that put Kirk in mind of that time that seemed paradoxically so long ago and just yesterday, when they had set off on their first mission together into the unknown.

Uhura began explaining the progress they had made on the translator program, her hand casually holding Scotty's.

Never mind, Kirk thought. He didn't think there'd be any trouble at all getting Scotty back home at the end of the mission.


End file.
